Lithium-air cells incorporating solid electrolytes having enhanced ionic transport and catalytic activity

ABSTRACT

Liquid-free lithium-air cells are provided which incorporate a solid electrolyte having enhanced ionic transport and catalytic activity. The solid electrolyte is positioned between a lithium anode and an oxygen cathode, and comprises a glass-ceramic and/or a polymer-ceramic electrolyte including a dielectric additive.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/074,316, filed Jun. 20, 2008, entitled FORMATION OF IONIC CONDUCTORS AND ELECTROCHEMICAL DEVICES BASED ON A SPACE CHARGE EFFECT. The entire contents of said application are hereby incorporated by reference.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

This invention was made with government support under Contract No. FA8650-06-3-9000 and Contract No. FA8650-08-C-2917 awarded by the United States Air Force. The government has certain rights in the invention.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Embodiments of the present invention relate generally to electrochemical devices, and particularly, to liquid-free lithium-air cells incorporating solid electrolytes comprised of glass-ceramic and/or polymer-ceramic materials having enhanced ionic transport and catalytic activity.

In electrochemical devices such as batteries, fuel cells, and sensors, oxidation and reduction of chemical species such as hydrogen and lithium is carried out at an anode. The ionic species travel through the cell internally, i.e., from the anode through an ionic conductor or electrolyte, to a cathode. The electrolyte may be in liquid or solid form. Lithium ion batteries currently in use typically comprise a carbon anode, a porous polymer membrane containing a liquid electrolyte comprised of, for example, lithium salts dissolved in organic solvents, and a cathode comprising a transition metal oxide.

Liquid electrolytes have typically been preferred in commercial electrochemical devices such as lithium ion batteries because they exhibit high conductivity (about 10⁻³ to 10⁻¹ Scm⁻¹). However, a high temperature environment can lead to rupture, ignition, and even explosion of liquid electrolyte-based lithium batteries due to reactions involving the liquid electrolytes, polymer membrane and the transition metal oxide cathodes. Therefore, it has become desirable to develop more thermally stable and safe lithium batteries with high energy and power densities.

While it is possible to use solid electrolytes in lithium batteries, solid electrolytes are generally associated with lower conductivity and therefore have typically been of lesser interest for commercial applications. There are a number of different approaches which have been employed to enhance the conductivity of solid electrolytes. In recent years, higher conductivity solid electrolytes have been developed using materials such as Li_(1+x)Al_(x)Ti_(2−x)(PO₄)₃ and Li_(x+1)Ge_(x)Ti_(2−x)(PO₄)₃. These ionic conductors have shown conductivity of about 10⁻³ Scm⁻¹ near room temperature; however, they are still typically not as conductive as liquid electrolytes.

As an alternative to lithium ion batteries, interest has increased in recent years in the development of lithium-air batteries. Such batteries comprise a lithium anode coupled to atmospheric oxygen through an air cathode such that the reduction of oxygen forms lithium peroxide. The cathode reactant (oxygen) is virtually an unlimited source in atmospheric air. Therefore, the air does not need to be carried in the battery. The primary reason for interest in developing lithium-oxygen batteries is the large theoretical energy density possible compared with state-of-the-art lithium batteries. For example, the energy density of a lithium air battery is about 3000 Wh/kg, which is about an order of magnitude greater than lithium ion batteries. In addition to the abundant air supply, the lithium air battery is also environmentally friendly and provides improved safety over the use of lithium ion batteries. However, the development of lithium-air battery cells has been hindered by the lack of suitable membranes which can contain lithium metal and safely carry out electrochemical reactions, and the limited rechargeability of the battery due to the limited cycle life of the lithium anode.

Accordingly, there remains a need in the art for a lithium-air battery utilizing an electrolyte membrane which provides efficient ionic transport, and which exhibits high conductivity and rechargeability.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Embodiments of the present invention meet those needs by providing liquid-free lithium-air cells which incorporate a solid electrolyte having enhanced ionic transport due to a space charge effect resulting from the presence of a dielectric phase. By “liquid-free,” it is meant that all components of the lithium air-cell (anode, cathode and solid electrolyte) are completely free of liquid components. By “space charge effect,” it is meant an accumulation of local, uncompensated charges in the solid electrolyte which may result from the ionization and adsorption of charged species at interfaces and/or on dielectric surfaces. The accumulation of the space charge results in the creation of localized electric fields that influence the transport of the remaining conduction ions, i.e., the space charge effect increases the transport of conducting ions, and thus increases conductivity.

According to one embodiment of the invention, a liquid-free rechargeable lithium-air cell is provided which comprises an anode comprising a lithium metal, an oxygen cathode, and a lithium ion-conducting solid electrolyte separating the anode and cathode and selected from at least one polymer-ceramic electrolyte, a glass ceramic electrolyte, and combinations thereof; wherein the solid electrolyte contains a dielectric additive selected from lithium oxide, boron nitride, silica, alumina, calcium oxide, zirconium oxide, titanium oxide, lithium aluminate, and silicon nitride.

The solid electrolyte may comprise a glass-ceramic electrolyte selected from lithium-aluminum-germanium-phosphate (LAGP), lithium-aluminum titanium phosphate (LATP), and derivatives thereof containing from about 0.01 to about 5 wt % Li₂O; a polymer-ceramic electrolyte comprising polyethylene oxide doped with LiN(SO₂CF₂CF₃)₂ (LiBETI) and containing from about 0.01 to about 10 wt % Li₂O; or a polymer-ceramic electrolyte comprising polyethylene oxide doped with LiN(SO₂CF₂CF₃)₂ (LiBETI) and containing from about 0.01 to about 10 wt % BN.

Alternatively, the solid electrolyte may be in the form of a laminate comprising a first polymer-ceramic composite electrolyte formed from polyethylene oxide doped with LiN(SO₂CF₂CF₃)₂ (LiBETI) and including from about 0.01 to about 10 wt % Li₂O; a glass-ceramic electrolyte selected from lithium aluminum germanium phosphate (LAGP), lithium-aluminum titanium phosphate (LATP), and derivatives thereof, and including from about 0.01 to about 5 wt % Li₂O; and c) a second polymer-ceramic electrolyte formed from polyethylene oxide doped with LiN(SO₂CF₂CF₃)₂ (LiBETI) and including from about 0.01 to about 10 wt % boron nitride (BN). The laminate preferably has a thickness of about 1 to about 2,000 microns.

In the solid electrolyte laminate structure, the glass-ceramic electrolyte is preferably positioned between the first and second polymer-ceramic composite electrolytes. The laminate structure is preferably electrochemically coupled to the lithium metal anode in the lithium-air cell.

The oxygen cathode preferably comprises carbon and a lithium ion-conducting glass or glass-ceramic material selected from lithium aluminum germanium phosphate (LAGP), lithium-aluminum titanium phosphate (LATP), and derivatives thereof. Preferably, the oxygen cathode comprises from about 5 to 30 wt % carbon and from about 70-95 wt % of the glass or glass-ceramic material. The oxygen cathode preferably comprises a porous structure having from about 30 to 70% porosity.

The lithium-air cell of the invention preferably exhibits a Coulombic efficiency during a discharge to charge cycle of greater than 98% at a temperature of about 65 to 105° C. and an open circuit voltage of from about 2 to about 3.8V.

In another embodiment of the invention, a method of forming a solid electrolyte having enhanced ionic transport is provided. The method comprises providing a solid electrolyte selected from at least one polymer-ceramic electrolyte, a glass-ceramic electrolyte, or combinations thereof; and adding a dielectric additive to the solid electrolyte, where the solid electrolyte exhibits increased ionic transport when placed in a lithium-air cell and exhibits a conductivity between about 10⁻⁶ and 10⁻¹ Scm⁻¹ at room temperature. The dielectric additive is selected from lithium oxide (Li₂O), boron nitride (BN), silica (SiO₂), alumina (Al₂O₃), calcium oxide (CaO), zirconium oxide (ZrO₂), titanium oxide (TiO₂), lithium aluminate (LiAlO₂), and silicon nitride (Si₃N₄), and is preferably added in an amount of from about 0.01 to about 10 wt %.

The dielectric additive preferably has a particle size of from about 5 nm to about 10,000 nm, and more preferably, from about 10 nm to 1,000 nm.

The polymer-ceramic electrolyte preferably comprises poly(ethylene oxide) doped with a lithium salt selected from the group consisting of LiN(SO₂CF₂CF₃)₂, LiBF₄, LiPF₆, LiSbF₆, LiAsF₆, LiClO₄, LiCF₃SO₃, LiN(SO₂CF₃)₂, LiN(SO₂C₂F₅)₂, LiC(SO₂CF₃)₃, LiN(SO₃CF₃)₂, LiC₄F₉SO₃, LiAlCl₄, LiCl and LiI.

The glass-ceramic electrolyte is preferably selected from lithium-aluminum-germanium-phosphate (LAGP), lithium-aluminum titanium phosphate (LATP), and derivatives thereof.

In one embodiment of the invention, the solid electrolyte formed by the method comprises a polymer-ceramic composite comprising polyethylene oxide doped with LiN(SO₂CF₂CF₃)₂ (LiBETI) and containing from about 0.01% to about 10 wt % Li₂O.

In another embodiment of the invention, the solid electrolyte formed by the method comprises a polymer-ceramic composite comprising polyethylene oxide doped with LiBETI and containing from about 0.01 to about 10 wt % BN.

In another embodiment, the solid electrolyte formed by the method comprises a glass-ceramic electrolyte selected from lithium-aluminum-germanium-phosphate (LAGP), lithium-aluminum titanium phosphate (LATP), and derivatives thereof and containing from about 0.01 to 5 wt % Li₂O.

In yet another embodiment, the solid electrolyte formed by the method is in the form of a laminate comprising a polymer-ceramic composite comprising polyethylene oxide doped with a lithium salt and containing from about 0.01 to about 10 wt % Li₂O; a glass-ceramic electrolyte selected from lithium-aluminum-germanium-phosphate (LAGP), lithium-aluminum titanium phosphate (LATP), and derivatives thereof, and containing from about 0.01 to 5 wt % Li₂O; and a polymer-ceramic composite comprising polyethylene oxide doped with a lithium salt and containing from about 0.01 to about 10 wt % BN.

Accordingly, it is a feature of the present invention to provide a liquid-free rechargeable lithium-air cell incorporating a solid electrolyte having enhanced ionic transport. This, and other features and advantages of the present invention, will become apparent from the following detailed description, the accompanying drawings, and the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of an electrochemical device showing the anode, electrolyte, cathode, and flow of ions and electrons;

FIG. 2 is a graph illustrating the conductivity of cells incorporating PEO:LiBETI with and without the inclusion of dielectric additives; and

FIG. 3 is a graph illustrating discharge and charge capacities of a lithium air-cell during multiple cycles.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Embodiments of the invention are applicable to a wide range of products including lithium-air batteries, fuel cells, and electrochemical sensors. The invention may be used in a variety of applications including, but not limited to, portable electronics, cell phones, laptop computers, cameras, and automotive applications.

The solid electrolytes based on polymer-ceramic and glass-ceramic materials having enhanced ionic transport are heterogeneous and provide liquid-like conductivity. The electrolytes are compatible with lithium metal, stabilizing the surface of lithium, and are stable in normal environmental conditions. Thus, the safety issues due to the reactivity of lithium are addressed by embodiments of the invention which use a solid state, substantially inorganic electrolyte which isolates lithium from moisture and atmospheric gases and prevents dendritic shorts.

The rechargeable lithium-air cell incorporating the solid electrolyte provides several advantages over the use of hydrogen-air cells currently in use. In the lithium-air cell, solid metallic lithium is used as the fuel source, minimizing containment and transportation issues. The solid lithium also functions as an anode. In contrast, in hydrogen-air cells, a membrane electrode assembly based on expensive precious metals such as platinum must be used to carry out the oxidation of hydrogen and reduction of oxygen. In addition, the open circuit voltage of the lithium-air cell is about 3.0 V, which is approximately 3 times that of the hydrogen-air cell. Lithium-air cells incorporating the solid electrolyte exhibit excellent thermal stability and rechargeability in the temperature range of about 30 to 105° C.

Referring now to FIG. 1, a schematic illustration of a lithium-air cell 10 is shown which includes a solid electrolyte 12 having enhanced ionic transport. As shown, the cell includes a lithium metal anode 14 and an oxygen cathode 16 separated by the solid electrolyte 12. In the embodiment shown, the solid electrolyte 12 is in the form of a laminate comprising a glass-ceramic membrane 18 and polymer-ceramic membranes 20, 22. The glass-ceramic and polymer-ceramic membranes are preferably laminated together by stacking the formed membranes together and/or placing them together under pressure followed by a thermal treatment such as annealing so that the membranes are sufficiently bonded. Pressure may be applied using a spring load at a relatively small pressure of about 100 to 200 psi while annealing at 75° C. for about 2 hours.

The polymer-ceramic membrane 20 preferably comprises a PEO:LiBETI (8.5:1)-(1 wt % Li₂O) solid electrolyte electrochemically coupled to the lithium anode 14 and glass-ceramic membrane 18. The polymer-ceramic membrane 20 functions to reduce cell impedance, aid in catalyzing the anodic reaction and enhance rechargeability of the cell. By utilizing 1-2 wt % of Li₂O as a dielectric additive, a passivating surface is formed on the surface of the lithium anode which is stable and allows effective transport of the lithium ion. The use of Li₂O as a dielectric additive also contributes to the increased cycle life of the lithium anode.

The oxygen cathode 16 and glass-ceramic membrane 18 are coupled by polymer-ceramic membrane 22, which preferably comprises a PEO:LiBETI (8.5:1)-(1 wt % BN) electrolyte.

The glass-ceramic electrolyte membrane 18 is preferably formed from lithium aluminum germanium phosphate (LAGP), but may also be formed from lithium aluminum titanium phosphate (LATP) and derivatives of LAGP and LATP. The glass-ceramic membrane is preferably formed by mixing the chemicals comprising the LAGP or LATP composition and the desired amount of dielectric additive (Li₂O), then milling. The milled batch is heated to melt the glass, and then formed into transparent glass sheets which are preferably annealed and then crystallized at a temperature ranging from about 750 to 850° C. to transform the glass to a glass-ceramic material. Alternatively, the dielectric additive may be added by a precipitation reaction from the glass solution by formulating a batch which contains an excess of lithium oxide or lithium carbonate. The resulting glass-ceramic electrolyte preferably exhibits an ionic conductivity of about 10⁻² Scm⁻¹ at 30° C.

The polymer-ceramic membranes 20 and 22 may be formed by an energy milling technique. Poly(ethylene)oxide and LiBETI may be mixed using an energy mill along with the desired dielectric additive. Following the milling, the milled material may be hot pressed into a membrane. Alternatively, the dielectric additive may be incorporated as a dispersant phase in the polymer solution. The resulting polymer-ceramic membranes preferably exhibit an ionic conductivity of about 10⁻⁴ to 10⁻Scm⁻¹ at 30° C.

The dielectric additives are preferably in powder form and comprise nanosize particles (about 5 nm to about 10,000 nm) having a high dielectric constant. Suitable dielectric additives include, but are not limited to, Li₂O, BN, SiO₂, Al₂O₃, CaO, ZrO₂, TiO₂, LiAlO₂, and Si₃N₄. The dielectric additive is preferably added in an amount of from about 0.01 to about 10 wt %.

The ionic conductivity of the polymer-ceramic and glass-ceramic solid electrolytes is enhanced due to the creation of the space charge within the bulk structure of the solid electrolyte resulting from the addition of the dielectric additive. In the case of the glass-ceramic membrane, the space charge effect results from the presence of the dielectric Li₂O phase. In the polymer-ceramic membranes, the space charge effect results from the presence of the dielectric BN or Li₂O phase. The increased conductivity results from lithium ions which are adsorbed on the dielectric surface, creating a space charge and an associated electric field, which influences transport of the remaining conducting ions. The space charge, once created, is stable, retaining its effects in the operating temperature region of the electrochemical device.

Referring again to FIG. 1, the lithium anode 14 comprises a lithium metal. The lithium anode may also comprise a lithium alloy. As shown, the lithium anode 14 is in contact with aluminum foil 24 on one side which functions to protect the anode.

The oxygen cathode 16 is a solid state composite prepared from high surface area carbon and ionically conducting glass or glass-ceramic powder. The glass or glass-ceramic powder is preferably formed from lithium aluminum germanium phosphate (LAGP), but may also be formed from lithium aluminum titanium phosphate (LATP) and derivatives of LAGP and LATP by mixing with an organic binder such as polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE).

Preferably, the cathode comprises about 5 to 30 wt % carbon and from about 70-95 wt % of the glass or glass-ceramic material. The oxygen cathode preferably comprises a porous structure having from about 30 to 70% porosity. The carbon provides the platform for combining the oxygen with the lithium ion which originates from lithium, and moves through the electrolyte to form lithium peroxide or lithium oxide in the cathode. It is noted that while the oxygen cathode does not contain a catalyst, the cathode capacity is high. While not wishing to be bound by theory, it is believed that the LAGP material, which is the major component in the cathode, in combination with carbon, catalyzes the reduction of oxygen.

In use, the lithium-air cell incorporating the solid electrolyte membrane may be subjected to multiple discharge-charge cycles at current densities ranging from 0.05 to 0.15 mA/cm². The lithium-air cell is preferably discharged at a temperature range of 30 to 105° C., and the discharge/charge Coulombic efficiencies of the cell range from 98 to 100%. The open circuit voltage (OCV) of the Li-air cell may vary from 2.6 to 3.6 V, depending on the state of the charge/discharge. The cell may be charged in low oxygen pressure or even in a vacuum because the charging produces oxygen. It is only during the discharge cycle that oxygen is consumed to carry out the electrochemical reaction. Very little discharge capacity is obtained in the absence of oxygen. The discharge capacity is also believed to be dependent on the oxygen partial pressure.

In order that the invention may be more readily understood, reference is made to the following examples which are intended to illustrate the invention, but not limit the scope thereof.

Example 1

Polymer-ceramic composite formulations were prepared with and without dielectric additives (BN and Li₂O). First, a solid polymer-ceramic electrolyte was formed by providing poly(ethylene)oxide (PEO) (molecular weight 2,000,000 from Union Carbide) and LiN(SO₂CF₂CF₃)₂ (LiBETI from 3M). The PEO and LiBETI were dried in an oven at 50° C. and 60° C., respectively, for 48 hours. The PEO:LiBETI (8.5:1) electrolyte was prepared by a solvent-free energy milling technique. The chemicals were weighed inside a glove box maintained at <50 ppm of O₂ and <88 ppm of H₂O. The batch was contained in an airtight metallic jar and subsequently mixed using an energy mill (Spex Certi Pep 8000D mixer/mill) for 1 hour without a stainless steel ball. Following the milling, 300 mg of the milled material was loaded into a preheated die (about 100° C.) and then pressed with 5 ton/cm² pressure into a disc.

Composites of PEO:LiBETI including dielectric additives (BN and Li₂O) were then prepared using a similar procedure ((PEO:LiBETI (8.5:1)-BN (1 wt %) and PEO:LiBETI (8.5:1)-Li₂O (1 wt %)). Both nanosize (5-20 nm) BN and Li₂O powder were obtained from Alfa Aesar and used as received. AC impedance measurements on the specimens were carried out using a Solartron instrument (Model 1260 with an electrochemical interface; Solartron US, Houston, Tex.) in the 0.01 to 106 Hz frequency range. The specimens were placed into a cell using stainless steel or lithium as electrodes in a cell fixture. The fixture containing the cell was subsequently placed in a holder with attached electrical wires leading to the impedance spectrometer. The AC impedance of the cells was measured at the appropriate temperature range. At each temperature, the specimen was equilibrated for 1 hour before the impedance measurement. AC impedance of the cells was also measured periodically for more than 1000 hours of storage at ambient temperature. Z Plot and Z View software packages were employed for data acquisition and analysis. The cell conductivity was computed from the AC impedance spectra and geometrical dimensions.

The specimens tested at temperatures above 65° C. exhibited liquid-like conductivity with an activation energy of 0.36 eV, 0.36, and 0.35 eV/mol for the PEO:LiBETI, PEO:LiBETI-BN and PEO:LiBETI-Li₂O electrolytes, respectively.

The PEO:LiBETI-BN and PEO:LiBETI-Li₂O specimens showed higher conductivity compared with the PEO:LiBETI polymer specimen. While the data indicated that the space charge effect remains operative across the temperature range of 25 to 120° C., it was noted that the space charge effect was more prominent in the liquid state (60 to 120° C.) than in the solid state (25-60° C.).

The enhanced conductivity in the specimens containing the BN and Li₂O dielectric additives is attributed to the space-charge mediated transport of lithium ions.

FIG. 2 illustrates a comparison of conductivities of cells containing PEO:LiBETI, PEO:LiBETI-BN, and PEO:LiBETI-Li₂O. As can be seen, the incorporation of the dielectric additives BN and Li₂O enhances cell conductivity.

Example 2

Ionically conducting glass-ceramic specimens based on lithium-aluminum-germanium-phosphate were prepared with varying concentrations of lithium oxide as a dielectric phase to create a space charge effect on ionic transport.

A 40 gram batch of 19.75Li₂₀.6.17Al₂O₃.37.04GeO₂.37.04P₂O₅ (mol %) (LAGP) composition was prepared using reagent grade chemicals Li₂CO₃ (Alfa Aesar), Al₂O₃ (Aldrich, particle size <10 mm), GeO₂ (Alfa Aesar) and NH₄H₂PO₄ (Acros Organics). The chemicals were weighed, mixed and ground for 10 minutes with an agate mortar and pestle. For further homogenization, the batch was milled in a glass jar for one hour using a roller mill. The milled batch was contained in a platinum crucible and transferred to an electric furnace. Initially, the furnace was heated to 350° C. at the rate of 1° C./minute after which the glass was melted for 2 hours. A clear, homogeneous, viscous melt was poured onto a stainless steel plate at room temperature and pressed by another stainless steel plate to yield <1 mm thick transparent glass sheets. Subsequently, the cast and pressed glass sheets were annealed at 500° C. for 2 hours to release thermal stresses and then allowed to cool to room temperature. The annealed glass specimens were subsequently crystallized in the 750 to 850° C. temperature range for selected times to transform the glass to a glass-ceramic.

Table 1 below illustrates the molar composition of the LAGP compositions in which lithium oxide concentration is a variable. The LAGP-1 composition represents a baseline formulation corresponding to the Li_(1.5)Al_(0.5)Ge_(1.5)(PO₄)₃ stoichiometry. In the other compositions (LAGP-2, -3, and -4), the Li₂O concentration was gradually increased with an intent to precipitate Li₂O as a dielectric phase in the glass-ceramic matrix.

TABLE 1 Composition LAGP-1 LAGP-2 LAGP-3 LAGP-4 Li₂O 18.75 19.75 21.12 21.56 Al₂O₃ 6.25 6.17 6.07 6.03 GeO₂ 37.50 37.04 36.41 36.20 P₂O₅ 37.50 37.04 36.41 36.20 Stoichiometry x = 0.5 x = 0.5 x = 0.5 x = 0.5 Li_(1+x)Al_(x)Ge_(2−x)(PO₄)₃ +Li₂O = 1.00% +Li₂O = 2.37% +Li₂O = 2.81%

DSC (differential scanning calorimetry) scans of all 4 specimens were performed from room temperature to 700° C. All the specimens showed an inflection around 500° C., which is related to the glass transition temperature (T_(g)). As the Li₂O concentration was increased from the LAGP-1 to the LAGP-4 specimens, the T_(g) decreased slightly from 522 to 511° C. in all specimens except for LAGP-2. The DSC data suggested that the Li₂O addition slightly reduced the viscosity of the glass, resulting in the lowering of the T_(g) and T_(c).

After crystallization of the LAGP-2 and LAGP-2 specimens at 850° C. for 12 hours, the LAGP-2 specimen was found to exhibit the highest conductivity with room temperature conductivity approaching 10⁻² Scm⁻¹. The increase in conductivity from LAGP-1 to LAGP-2 is attributed to the excess of Li₂O as shown in Table 1. It is believed that the Li₂O precipitates and creates a space charge effect, which enhances the conductivity of LAGP-2. Additional amounts of Li₂O in LAGP-3 and LAGP-4 were shown to be detrimental to the conductivity because it formed an excess of the glassy phase, which is believed to be an impediment to the transport of lithium ions through the grain boundaries.

Table 2 below illustrates the activation energies for ionic transport in the four LAGP specimens.

TABLE 2 Specimens Below 70° C. (eV) Above 70° C. (eV) LAGP-1 0.62 0.30 LAGP-2 0.62 0.30 LAGP-3 0.50 0.16 LAGP-4 0.45 0.16

Table 3 below illustrates the temperature dependent conductivity of the LAGP-2 specimen after crystallization at 850° C. for 12 hours.

TABLE 3 Temperature (° C.) Conductivity (Scm⁻¹) 23 4.48 × 10⁻³ 30 6.18 × 10⁻³ 50 3.81 × 10⁻² 70 1.69 × 10⁻¹ 110 5.19 × 10⁻¹ 150 1.07 210 2.06 250 2.63 310 4 360 1.58 × 10⁻¹ 390   2 × 10⁻¹ 450 2.85 × 10⁻¹

The conductivity value of 4 Scm⁻¹ of specimen LAG P-2 at 310° C. is attributed to the space charge mediation induced by the formation of a Li₂O:Li⁺ complex, which becomes a source of a local electric field that influences the transport of the remaining conducting ions.

Example 3

A lithium-air cell incorporating a solid electrolyte in the form of a laminate was constructed as follows. Two polymer-ceramic membranes were prepared from dried poly(ethylene) oxide, LiBETI salt, and dielectric additives Li₂O and BN, respectively as described above in Example 1. The dried mixture of the electrolyte components were energy milled and hot pressed to obtain 200 to 400 μm thick membranes.

A glass-ceramic membrane was prepared from a batch of various oxides corresponding to the 18.5Li₂O.6.07Al₂O₃.37.05GeO₂.37.05P₂O₅ molar composition as described in Example 2. The batch was melted at 1350° C. in a platinum crucible and then cast onto a steel plate, such that the glass solidified. The solidified glass was then powdered and pressed into a membrane, followed by sintering from about 800 to about 850° C. for about 8 to 24 hours. The glass-ceramic membrane was then laminated between the two polymer-ceramic membranes.

A lithium anode was obtained from Lithium Corporation of America.

A cathode was prepared using nickel mesh or foam, carbon black (acetylene 50% compressed), Teflon (TE-3859) and a glass-ceramic powder comprising LAGP which was formed as described in Example 2. A mixture of the carbon black (25 and 50 wt %), LAGP (50 and 75 wt %) powders, and Teflon were mixed with de-ionized water to obtain a soft mass which was spread on both sides of the nickel mesh or foam and sandwiched between two stainless steel plates. The assembled sandwich was pressed, dried at 100° C. overnight and sintered at 240° C. for 20 minutes in an argon atmosphere. The Li-air cells were assembled in a dry box (O₂<80 ppm, H₂<89 ppm) contained in the casing with a spacer and O-ring. The cathode side of the casing was perforated to allow flow of oxygen to the cathode. The cell components along the casing were pressed to seal using a Hohsen cell maker (Hohsen Corporation, Osaka, Japan) into a working lithium-air cell.

The assembled cells were characterized using a Solartron instrument (Model 1260 with an electrochemical interface; Solartron US, Houston, Tex.). The charge and discharge capacities of the cells were measured by cycling them at constant currents between voltage limits, and interfacial impedances were determined from AC impedance spectra measured in the 0.1 to 106 Hz frequency range. The physical constants of the cell components for cells 3, 4 and 5 are shown in Table 4 below.

TABLE 4 Lithium anode Membrane laminate Cathode Thick Weight Thick Weight Thick Weight Porosity Cell (cm) (gm) Material (cm) (gm) Material (cm) (gm) (%) Cell Structure 3 0.038 0.040 PC(BN)/ 0.150 0.68 25% C* + 0.048 0.163 12 Li/PC(BN)/ LAGP/ 75% LAGP LAGP/PC(BN)/ PC(BN) on Ni cathode-O₂ mesh 4 0.038 0.040 PC(Li₂O)/ 0.205 0.58 50% C* + 0.045 0.172 27 Li/PC(Li₂O)/ LAGP/ 75% LAGP LAGP/PC(BN)/ PC(BN) on Ni foam cathode-O₂ 5 0.038 0.040 PC(Li₂O)/ 0.101 0.46 25% C* + 0.031 0.146 24 Li/PC(Li₂O)/ LAGP/ 75% LAGP LAGP/PC(BN)/ PC(BN) on Ni foam cathode-O₂ C* - 60% PWA activated carbon + 40% Ketjen carbon black

The electrochemical performance of cell 5 is shown in Table 5 below.

TABLE 5 D/C D/C Cell Anode Cathode D/C current time capacity capacity capacity V′_(cell) V″_(cell) σ_(cell) T (° C.) cycle (mA) (hrs) (mAh) utilized utilized R_(cell) (Ω) (Volt) (Volt) (mS/cm) 30 1D 0.05 1.24 0.06 0.04 3.16 13339 2.66 1.00 0.009 30 1C 0.20 0.32 0.06 0.04 3.37 6432 3.74 4.30 0.019 1C (1) 0.20 0.04 0.01 0.01 0.53 5099 3.96 4.30 0.025 45 2D 0.10 1.24 0.12 0.08 6.32 2663 2.91 1.00 0.047 45 2C 0.20 0.55 0.11 0.07 5.79 1040 3.19 4.30 0.121 57 3D 0.10 11.36 1.14 0.73 59.60 1019 3.19 1.00 0.123 57 3C 0.20 6 1.20 0.77 63.16 305 3.06 4.25 0.413 67 4D 0.20 13.83 2.77 1.77 145.79 241 3.48 1.00 0.523 67 4C 0.20 14 2.80 1.80 147.37 158 2.89 4.17 0.797 75 5D 0.20 66.03 13.21 8.47 695.26 174 3.45 1.00 0.724 75 5C 0.30 41.89 12.57 8.06 661.57 288 2.79 4.50 0.437 5C(1) 0.20 5.00 1.00 0.74 52.63 351 3.70 4.46 0.359 85 6D 0.25 49.56 12.39 7.95 652.10 134 3.39 1.00 0.941 85 6C 0.30 28.43 8.53 5.47 448.95 270 2.69 4.30 0.466 6C(1) 0.20 8.90 1.78 1.14 93.68 317 3.39 4.30 0.397 105 7D 0.20 80.54 16.11 10.33 847.89 125 3.31 1.00 1.00 105 7C 0.30 37.5 11.25 7.21 592.10 141 1.22 4.3 0.89 7C(1) 0.20 8.62 1.72 1.10 90.53 234 3.55 4.3 0.54 7C(2) 0.20 16 3.2 2.05 168.42 216 3.49 4.41 0.58 Notations: T—temperature, D—discharge, C—charge, R_(cell) - cell resistance in D/C state, V′_(cell) - cell voltage before D/C, V″_(cell) - cell voltage after D/C, and σ_(cell) - cell conductivity

Cell 5 was subjected to a multiple discharge/charge cycles at 95° C. as a function of capacity with a discharge current of 0.3 mA. The charge current was varied from 0.15 to 0.3 mA. The capacity during the multiple discharge/charge cycles is shown in Table 6 below and in FIG. 3.

TABLE 6 capacity capacity discharge current (mA) (mAh) charge current (mA) (mAh) 1 0.3 0.43 1 0.3 0.30 2 0.3 0.30 2 0.3 0.23 3 0.3 0.25 3 0.3 0.21 4 0.3 0.22 4 0.2 0.46 5 0.3 0.27 5 0.2 0.33 6 0.3 0.29 6 0.15 0.57 7 0.3 0.24 7 0.15 0.32 8 0.3 0.22 8 0.15 0.27 9 0.3 0.20 9 0.15 0.24 10 0.3 0.17 10 0.15 0.20 11 0.3 0.17 11 0.15 0.18 12 0.3 0.16 12 0.15 0.17 13 0.3 0.16 13 0.15 0.17 14 0.3 0.15 14 0.15 0.16 15 0.3 0.13 15 0.15 0.15

Having described the invention in detail and by reference to preferred embodiments thereof, it will be apparent that modifications and variations are possible without departing from the scope of the invention. 

1. A liquid-free rechargeable lithium-air cell comprising: an anode comprising a lithium metal, an oxygen cathode; and a lithium ion-conducting solid electrolyte separating said anode and cathode and selected from at least one polymer-ceramic electrolyte, a glass ceramic electrolyte, and combinations thereof; wherein said solid electrolyte contains a dielectric additive selected from lithium oxide, boron nitride, silica, alumina, calcium oxide, zirconium oxide, titanium oxide, lithium aluminate, and silicon nitride.
 2. The lithium-air cell of claim 1 wherein said solid electrolyte comprises a glass-ceramic electrolyte selected from lithium-aluminum-germanium-phosphate (LAGP), lithium-aluminum titanium phosphate (LATP), and derivatives thereof, and containing from about 0.01 to about 5 wt % Li₂O.
 3. The lithium-air cell of claim 1 wherein said solid electrolyte comprises a polymer-ceramic electrolyte comprising polyethylene oxide doped with LiN(SO₂CF₂CF₃)₂ (LiBETI) and containing from about 0.01 to about 10 wt % Li₂O.
 4. The lithium-air cell of claim 1 wherein said solid electrolyte comprises a polymer-ceramic electrolyte comprising polyethylene oxide doped with LiN(SO₂CF₂CF₃)₂ (LiBETI) and containing from about 0.01 to about 10 wt % BN.
 5. The lithium air-cell of claim 1 wherein said solid electrolyte comprises a laminate including: a) a first polymer-ceramic composite electrolyte formed from polyethylene oxide doped with LiN(SO₂CF₂CF₃)₂ (LiBETI) and including from about 0.01 to about 10 wt % Li₂O; b) a glass-ceramic electrolyte selected from lithium aluminum germanium phosphate (LAGP), lithium-aluminum titanium phosphate (LATP), and derivatives thereof, and including from about 0.01 to about 5 wt % Li₂O; and c) a second polymer-ceramic electrolyte formed from polyethylene oxide doped with LiN(SO₂CF₂CF₃)₂ (LiBETI) and including from about 0.01 to about 10 wt % boron nitride (BN).
 6. The lithium-air cell of claim 5 wherein said glass-ceramic electrolyte is positioned between said first and second polymer-ceramic composite electrolytes.
 7. The lithium-air cell of claim 1 wherein said solid electrolyte is electrochemically coupled to said anode.
 8. The lithium air cell of claim 1 wherein said oxygen cathode comprises a carbon material and a lithium ion-conducting glass or glass-ceramic material selected from lithium aluminum germanium phosphate (LAGP), lithium-aluminum titanium phosphate (LATP), and derivatives thereof.
 9. The lithium air cell of claim 8 wherein said oxygen cathode comprises from about 5 to 30 wt % carbon and from about 70-95 wt % of said glass-ceramic material.
 10. The lithium-air cell of claim 1 wherein said oxygen cathode comprises a porous structure having from about 30 to 70% porosity.
 11. The lithium-air cell of claim 1 wherein said oxygen cathode further comprises polytetrafluoroethylene.
 12. The lithium-air cell of claim 5 wherein said laminate has a thickness of from about 1 to about 2,000 microns.
 13. The lithium-air cell of claim 1 having a Coulombic efficiency during a discharge to charge cycle of greater than 98% at a temperature of about 65 to 105° C.
 14. The lithium-air cell of claim 1 having an open circuit voltage of from about 2 to about 3.8V.
 15. A method of forming a solid electrolyte having enhanced ionic transport for use in a lithium-air cell comprising: providing a solid electrolyte selected from at least one polymer-ceramic electrolyte, a glass-ceramic electrolyte, or combinations thereof; adding a dielectric additive to said solid electrolyte, said dielectric additive selected from lithium oxide, boron nitride, silica, alumina, calcium oxide, zirconium oxide, titanium oxide, lithium aluminate, and silicon nitride; wherein said solid electrolyte exhibits increased ionic transport when placed in a lithium-air cell and exhibits a conductivity between about 10⁻⁶ and 10⁻¹ Scm⁻¹ at room temperature.
 16. The method of claim 15 wherein said polymer-ceramic electrolyte comprises poly(ethylene oxide) doped with a lithium salt selected from the group consisting of LiN(SO₂CF₂CF₃)₂, LiBF₄, LiPF₆, LiSbF₆, LiAsF₆, LiClO₄, LiCF₃SO₃, LiN(SO₂CF₃)₂, LiN(SO₂C₂F₅)₂, LiC(SO₂CF₃)₃, LiN(SO₃CF₃)₂, LiC₄F₉SO₃, LiAlCl₄, LiCl and LiI.
 17. The method of claim 15 wherein said glass-ceramic electrolyte is selected from lithium-aluminum-germanium-phosphate (LAGP), lithium-aluminum titanium phosphate (LATP), and derivatives thereof.
 18. The method of claim 15 wherein said dielectric additive is added in an amount of about 0.01 to about 10 wt %.
 19. The method of claim 15 wherein said dielectric additive has a particle size of from about 5 nm to about 10,000 nm.
 20. A solid electrolyte formed by the method of claim 15 comprising a polymer-ceramic composite comprising polyethylene oxide doped with LiN(SO₂CF₂CF₃)₂ (LiBETI) and containing from about 0.01% to about 10 wt % Li₂O.
 21. A solid electrolyte formed by the method of claim 15 comprising a polymer-ceramic composite comprising polyethylene oxide doped with LiBETI and containing from about 0.01 to about 10 wt % BN.
 22. A solid electrolyte formed by the method of claim 15 comprising a glass-ceramic electrolyte selected from lithium-aluminum-germanium-phosphate (LAGP), lithium-aluminum titanium phosphate (LATP), and derivatives thereof and containing from about 0.01 to 5 wt % Li₂O.
 23. A solid electrolyte formed by the method of claim 15 comprising a polymer-ceramic composite comprising polyethylene oxide doped with a lithium salt and containing from about 0.01 to about 10 wt % Li₂O; a glass-ceramic electrolyte selected from lithium-aluminum-germanium-phosphate (LAGP), lithium-aluminum titanium phosphate (LATP), and derivatives thereof, and containing from about 0.01 to 5 wt % Li₂O; and a polymer-ceramic composite comprising polyethylene oxide doped with a lithium salt and containing from about 0.01 to about 10 wt % BN; wherein said solid electrolyte is in the form of a laminate. 